What's On in Beijing: May 2019

Carl Barât, the Libertines rocker gone
solo, is returning to China after his wildly successful 2018 tour in the mainland.
Maybe a bit mellower since the Pete
Doherty days and becoming a father,
he’s still a powerful rock force with
a distinctly energetic sound.

You’d think after 20 years of composing seemingly endless sagas of sounds, Explosions in the Sky would have explored every corner and crevice of the sonic palette. Yet after taking a hiatus since their last release The Wilderness in 2016, the Austin-based instrumental rock band are back in the swing of things and ready to hit the road again doing what they do best: performing their complex and beautifully layered compositions. Read up on the band in our interview here.

RL Grime first came to prominence
with epic remixes of Kanye West and
Chief Keef. Now, following his well-received sophomore album, he’s an
established electronic artist straddling
the line between the uncompromising
musicality of the underground and the
appreciation of millions of fans.

The Scandinavian pop band brings their addictive combination of new wave synths
and dance music, which has a knack for producing the soundtracks of summer. Catch
them at Tango in the middle of the month. In the meantime, read up on the group in our interview from last year.

Yahyel are known for their gritty and futuristic sounds that evoke a crumbling urban landscape. Taking inspiration from 1988 cyberpunk film Akira, they bring their
unique dystopian vision to Beijing this May.

The heartrending hymn to the The Last of the Mohicans, from the film of
the same name, is the signature tune of Peru-born musician Alexandro
Querevalú. Having emigrated to Poland at the age of 18, he has since made a
global name for himself playing a variety of indigenous instruments.

Rimas Tomenen’s adaption of
Pushkin’s mammoth novel to the
stage only focuses on a segment of
the work – that is Tatyana’s love for
Onegin. It is enough to fill an entire
performance, even if it is only part
of what has been termed “an encyclopedia of Russian life.” Staged between the past and present, it aims
to capture the nostalgic melancholy
of the Russian mindset.

Japanese pop vocalist iri lands in Beijing with a show at Omni Space this month. After winning Nylon Japan and Sony Music's JAM audition in 2014, the singer-songwriter went on to release her first full-length album Groove It in 2016. Don't miss her R&B-influenced pop jams at Omni Space.

Canadian outfit Timber Timbre are bringing their psychedelic folk to the capital. With six successful albums under their belt, the quartet has had their songs featured in various TV shows such as Breaking Bad and Orange is the New Black. Catch their gig at MAO Livehouse in the middle of the month.

Acclaimed conductor Zhengyu
Zhu’s interpretation of the Game
of Thrones TV series music is sure
to bring all the happy and brutal
memories back as the final season
begins to draw to a close. A touching swan song to all the dead protagonists, mourned or otherwise. Check out all the places you can watch the final season in Beijing right here.

WISE teams up with Reeperbahn Festival, held annually in Hamburg, Germany to bring the big event to the mainland. In addition to a music conference, there will be two showcases as part of the festival’s Beijing installation, featuring Chengdu’s post-punk darlings The Hormones, rap oddity Lows0n, among budding international acts like the Nick Cave-esque German import Jungstötter and London-based electronic project Chagall.

Great Wall Festival is back after its
2018 success, this time with a lineup
including sets from techno royalty like
Ben Klock, Marcel Dettman and Dave
Clarke, as well as home-grown talents
such as Diva Li. This is your chance to
take part in the world’s most ambitious
techno festival, taking place over two
days in the shadow of one of the seven
modern wonders of the world.

Running and techno beats were really made to go together – monotonous yet
enthralling activities with an inexorable sense of forward propulsion. This year,
you can take part in a half-marathon, 10km or 5km run around the Ming Tomb
Lake with your progress soundtracked by seven music stations of live DJs.

The Rye Music Festival is back for another round this month with notable
headliners as Taiwanese superstars Jay
Chou and Jolin Tsai, veteran shoegazers
the Jesus and Mary Chain, as well as
dance-rockers Fitz and the Tantrums,
brother and sister folk duo Angus
& Julia Stone, pop singer Beatrich,
Taiwanese indie act Deca Joins and
more. The two-day music extravaganza is set across several stages at
Changyang Music Park. Don't recognize any of the names? Get up to speed with the best acts to see.

Practice some seriously tension-relieving yoga moves at this all-levels
workshop. Increase the strength
and mobility of your shoulders and
neck with a focus on weight-carrying poses, guided by experts who
will ensure you do so safely.

The Lotus Lee Drama Project bring
the second part of Liu Cixin’s science fiction trilogy, The Three-Body
Problem, to the stage with a visual
re-enactment of the world of the
novels. The multimedia project follows a small band of humans who
must save the planet when it comes
under threat by space predators.

798 Art Factory hosts an exciting exhibition featuring 65 photographs of the glam rock legend David Bowie taken by his official photographer Mick Rock. There will also be an original soundtrack for the exhibit, performance footage, filmed interviews with the iconic British photographer and more.

Through May

Moka Bros just debuted their new spring menu. Find old favorites and new comers like the Mediterranean-inspired Greek quinoa bowl and the drool-worthy smoked salmon salad, plus a new vegan wrap! In addition to the exciting offerings, Moka Bros' breakfast menu now features four different - yet equally as delicious - bagel sandwiches.

New Specials @ Q Mex

Image via Q Mex

Q Mex has added some exciting additions to their menu. Now you can get your
Peking duck fix while calming your burrito craving with their brand-new duck carnitas burrito (RMB68) – slow roasted and crispy pulled duck, guacamole, kale and
jewel rice. Wash it down with their fresh mezcal margarita (RMB68).

Hulu x De Refter

Image via Hulu

Hulu recently
partnered with De Refter, of bao burger fame, to create two new
craft sliders for their menu: a truffle
variety with emmental cheese, arugula,
sliced red onions and mayonnaise with
truffle paste and truffle oil, and a spicy
Sriracha featuring shallot chutney, soft
goat cheese and homemade garlic and
Sriracha sauce. Can’t decide between
the two? Just do like us and order them
both.

Now that spring is here, House of Knowledge invites you to attend a host of special events at their Xinglong campus. Spend some family time at their workshops on creative handicrafts, gardening and German culture and customs. Also, they’ll organize four open days to meet teachers and the principal, and to explore the state-of-the-art facilities at their brand-new campus.

Celebrate badass women at La Social’s Ladies Night every Wednesday. Pay your respects to the woman who started it all – the Virgin Mary – with a playlist crammed full of power tunes, 40 percent off house cocktails and Colombian Mule pitchers for RMB150.

Spring has sprung and for one thing, that means the return of the beer garden at Timezone 8. From now through the end of the month, you can also enjoy pints of Monkey’s Fist IPA for RMB35 and Stone Boat Pilsner for RMB40.